UC Girls Win Record 10th Straight UNION County Relay Title, Smash Meet Record
By Jim Lambert
The Union Catholic girls blew apart the track by running three NJ No. 1 times, smashing a meet record, and winning four races on the way to a record 10th straight championship at the Union County Relays on Saturday at the Jersey City Armory.
Union Catholic left lots of smoke on the track en route to a 66-36 victory over runner-up Rahway.
The biggest highlight came when Rhia Randolph, Taylor Aska, Natalia Thompson, and Sydney Chadwick combined to win the 4×200 with a sizzling NJ No. 1/US No. 2 time of 1:40.70, which shattered the meet record by more than two seconds. The former record of 1:43.10 was set by last year. This performance was especially impressive because it was run on a flat track! I haven’t found a faster time yet in NJ history on a flat track.
Keep in mind that the state record in the 4×200 is 1:38.60, set by UC last year when the Vikings placed fourth at the New Balance Nationals. There’s no doubt that UC has the potential to take that record down when it loads up to run on a banked track.
UC’s two other NJ No. 1 times came in the shuttle hurdles (31.84) and the sprint medley (4:16.88), and its fourth victory was in the DMR with a NJ No.2 time of 12:35.75.
The UC boys, who held out several of their top distance runners, also had a very strong meet with a third-place finish with 35 points.
The big highlight for the Vikings came in the shuttle hurdles when Al-Qamar-Rojas, Chris Wilson, Marcus McCoy and Justice Hicks combined to finish first in 30.27, the fourth-fastest time in the state this season. UC also tied for first in the high jump with Hicks and Kevin Philistin each clearing 5-10, and finished second in the 4×800, third in the DMR, and fifth in the 4×400.
